The Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) will honor 25 RV brands built by 12 manufacturers with its Quality Circle Award just prior to the opening of the 48th Annual National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 29.

These brands/manufacturers received at least 15 dealer responses and scored 80% or above in overall dealer satisfaction in the association’s 17th Annual Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) survey, the RVDA stated in a news release.

“Dealers believe the DSI is a tool to help improve communication and the overall relationship with their manufacturers,” said RVDA Chairman of the Board Tim O’Brien of Circle K RVs in Lapeer, Mich. “Through their responses in the DSI, dealers tell us that these RV brands have done an outstanding job of working with their retailer partners over the past year.”

Five manufacturers of eight towable brands, and one motorized brand received DSI Honorable Mention awards for receiving scores of 80% or above in overall dealer satisfaction, but not enough dealer responses to qualify for the Quality Circle Award. They are (in alphabetical order): Airstream Inc., DRV Elite/Mobile/Select Suites, KZ MXT, Lance travel trailers and Starcraft RV Antigua/Travel Star in the towable category; and Triple E in the motorized category.

The 17th Annual DSI survey was conducted between April and July 2010. Four hundred and twenty-three (423) dealers responded to the DSI this year, and provided 2,125 brand ratings, an average of a little more than five per dealer. A summary of the DSI survey aggregate results will appear in the December issue of RV Executive Today.

Sooo, when is this “evaluation” going to be based on customer responses? The overall quality of an RV is absolutely unacceptable. If any of us were to get the same level of quality for the automobiles we purchase as we do for RV’s, I suspect that we would totally reject it. However, when we purchase a 200-500K motorhome, or more, or less, take 2 years to sort out most of the bugs, and still wind up with a rig that suffers ongoing window failures, paint problems, etc, it seems to be seen as acceptable. It is my experience that the coach builders as well as component suppliers, need a very serious dose of “make it right the first time”. Possibly the bright light here is the Chassis manufacturers are significantlly better than the “box” builders.